Remember that one day when you could wake up without an alarm? When you would get your favorite bowl of cereal and sit between the hours of 8 and 12? This is a blog dedicated to the greatest time of our childhood: Saturday mornings. The television programs you watched, the memories attached to them, and maybe introducing you to something you didn't realize existed. Updated every weekend.
Penelope “Punky” Brewster (Soleil
Moon Frye) was a unique young girl whose father walked out on her and mother
abandoned her. She took residence in an empty apartment with her dog, Brandon,
where she was eventually discovered by the building manager, photographer and
curmudgeon Henry Warnimont (George Gaynes). Despite some personality conflicts
and the best efforts of social services to put her in a “better” environment,
she ended up becoming Henry’s adopted daughter. Punky’s friends included
neighbor Cherie Johnson (niece of the series creator who used her own name) and
her grandmother, Betty (Susie
Garrett, who was actually her grandmother), geeky Allen Anderson (Casey
Ellison), and stuck-up rich girl Margaux Kramer (Ami Foster).
The series was created by David W. Duclon with input from NBC’s programming chief Brandon Tartikoff (for whom the
dog was named). Tartikoff’s involvement is what led to the lead character’s
unique name, taken from a childhood crush named Peyton “Punky” Brewster. NBC
secured the rights to use her name for the show and even hired her to do a cameo
in an episode (credited as Peyton
B. Rutledge, her married name).
Punky with Cherie, Allen, Glomer, Brandon and Margaux.
It’s
Punky Brewster featured the entire Punky
cast reprising their roles with the exception of Garrett and T.K. Carter, however they were
joined by a new character: Glomer (Frank Welker). Glomer was a magical being
from Chaundoon, a city at the end of the rainbow. Glomer used his powers to
transport the kids to various places, gave Brandon the ability to talk
(courtesy of Welker), transformed the kids into statues or shrank them, and
sometimes just caused general chaos that he’d have to straighten out. Glomer
was added as a way to keep kids interested in the show, as well as have the
characters perpetually in adventures.
Poor Henry was kept in the dark.
It’s Punky Brewster featured the entire Punky cast reprising their roles with the exception of Garrett and T.K. Carter, however they were
joined by a new character: Glomer (Frank Welker). Glomer was a magical being
from Chaundoon, a city at the end of the rainbow. Glomer used his powers to
transport the kids to various places, gave Brandon the ability to talk
(courtesy of Welker), transformed the kids into statues or shrank them, and
sometimes just caused general chaos that he’d have to straighten out. Glomer
was added as a way to keep kids interested in the show, as well as have the
characters perpetually in adventures.
In 1985, various episodes were released on several VHS
tapes by Celebrity
Home Entertainment. Between 2004 and 2008, Shout! Factory released all
four seasons of the live show. Included as special features were episodes
of the animated series split between them. “The Shoe Must Go On” is the only
episode missing as Shout! ran into rights issues with the licensed song “Axel
F” by Harold Faltermeyer. In 2009, Cartoon Network’s Robot Chicken parodied
the cartoon with Frye returning to voice her character. Seth Grew took over as
Henry while Tom Kane filled in as Glomer.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Season 1:
“Punky to the Rescue / The Quartrsize Quaterback” (9/14/85) – Punky
convinces Henry to take a photography job in a Florida swamp where they think
he catches a sea monster. / Glomer gives Allen the skills of a professional
football player.
“The Gold Rush / Phar Out Pharaoh” (9/21/85) – Glomer accidentally
frees an evil leprechaun. / Glomer takes the kids to ancient Egypt to return a
necklace Margaux has and she’s mistaken for a princess.
“Pretty Ugly / Glomer’s Story” (9/28/85) – Glomer changes Margaux’s
face just before a party. / Punky recalls the day she met Glomer.
“Brandon the Dialogue Dog / Winning Isn’t Everything” (10/5/85) – Glomer
allows Brandon to talk and he catches the attention of a magazine writer. / The
kids scheme on how to win a TV in a contest.
“Punky Wise and Pound Foolish / Christmas in July” (10/12/85) –
Brandon is locked in a pound after Punky spends his license money. / A trip to
Santa’s workshop leads to an accident that causes it to snow around the world.
“Return to Chaundoon / A Small Mistake” (10/19/85) – Glomer takes
Pinky to Chaundoon where they discover everyone asleep due to the theft of the
town’s clock. / Glomer’s drink causes the kids to shrink.
“Halloween Howlers / The Perils of Punky” (10/26/85) – Glomer changes
whoever doesn’t give him candy into a Jack-O-Lantern. / Glomer takes the kids
into an adventure movie.
“Glomer Punks Out / Louvre Affair” (11/2/85) – Glomer’s musical act
attracts the attention of a crooked record producer. / Glomer turns Henry into
a statue of Julius Caesar, and when he’s declared a forgery Punky must save him
before he’s destroyed.
“Growing Pain / Double Your Punky” (11/9/85) – Punky discovers that
pepperoni pizza makes Glomer grow. / Glomer creates a Punky clone to keep him
company and accidentally zaps the original back into the photograph he used.
“Spellbound / The Shoe Must Go On” (11/16/85) – Glomer zaps a bee and
it gives people the ability to spell words. / The school diva wants the magical
dancing shoes Glomer made Cherie.
“Switchin’ Places / How the Midwest Was Won” (11/23/85) – Allen
switches bodies with Glomer to impress a girl. / Glomer takes the kids to 1803
Chicago where a fur poacher tries to prevent the city’s development.
“Any Wish Way You Can / The Bermuda Tangle” (11/30/85) – Glomer’s
spell accidentally hits Margaux and she wishes she was a queen with everyone as
her servants. / Glomer takes the kids to a tropical island and loses his powers
after a coconut hits his head.
“Unidentified Flying Glomer / Fish Story” (12/7/85) – A pet groomer
chases after Glomer. / Glomer turns Punky into a mermaid to help her land a
part in the school play.
Season 2:
“Little Orphan Puny / Punky’s Millions” (9/13/86) – Punky is taken
from home and put into a home where girls are used as slave labor in a candy
factory. / Punky has to spend $1 million in a week so she and Henry can win a
game show.
“Punky, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves / Punky the Heiress”
(9/20/86) – Glomer brings the characters of Snow
White to life. / Punky’s aunt and uncle use her in an embezzlement scheme.
“Fair Feathered Friend / Be My Glomley” (9/27/86) – Glomer gets
jealous when Punky nurses a bird back to health. / A female glomley may help
Glomer get back to Chaundoon.
“All in Henry’s Family” (10/4/86) – Henry takes Punky and Cherie to
visit his eccentric sisters.
“Call Me Ms.” (10/11/86) – Glomer turns Punky into an adult.
“Punky P.I.” (10/18/86) – Punky decides to open a detective agency in
school.
“Mississippi Mud” (10/25/86) – Glomer takes the kids to an old
Mississippi riverboat.
“Punky’s Little Acre” (11/1/86) – Margaux visits Punky’s pen pal’s
farm and creates chaos.
“Camp Confusion” (11/8/86) – Camp Tumbleweeds takes on Camp Towering
Pines in an athletic competition.
“Bright Eyes” (11/15/86) – Cherie’s deaf friend wants to keep a lost
puppy.
“Mother of the Year” (11/22/86) – Glomer creates a mother for Punky.
“Allen Who?” (11/29/86) – Allen wishes he was never born and Glomer
grants it.
“Caught in the Act” (12/6/86) – Henry spots Glomer and Glomer gives
him amnesia just before an important photography assignment.
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